From 1 January 2024 to 28 July 2024, a cumulative total of 307 433 cholera cases and 2326 deaths were reported from 26 countries across five WHO regions, with the Eastern Mediterranean Region recording the highest numbers, followed by the African Region, the South-East Asia Region, the Region of the Americas, and the European Region. No outbreaks were reported in the Western Pacific Region during this time.
The cholera response continues to be affected by a critical shortage of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) as demand continues to outpace supply, with 105 million doses requested by 18 countries since January 2023, nearly double the 55 million doses produced in this period.
WHO classified the global resurgence of cholera as a grade 3 emergency in January 2023, the highest internal level for emergencies in WHO. Based on the number of outbreaks and their geographic expansion, alongside the shortage of vaccines and other resources, WHO continues to assess the risk at the global level as very high and the event remains classified as a grade 3 emergency.
Cholera upsurge
After decades of progress against cholera, cases are again on the rise, even in countries that had not seen the disease in years.
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that spreads through food and water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, often from faeces. With safe water and sanitation, cholera can be prevented. It can kill within hours when not treated, but immediate access to treatment saves lives.
While the triggers for cholera outbreaks—like poverty and conflict—are enduring, climate change and conflict are now compounding the problem. Extreme climate events like floods, cyclones and droughts reduce access to clean water and create an ideal environment for cholera to thrive.
In 2022, 44 countries reported cholera cases, a 25% increase from the 35 countries that reported cases in 2021. This trend continues into 2023. The recent outbreaks have also been more deadly, with case fatality rates being the highest recorded in over a decade.
This increase in outbreaks and cases is stretching the global capacity to respond. There is a shortage of cholera tools, including vaccines.
WHO considers the current global risk from cholera as very high and is responding with urgency to reduce deaths and contain outbreaks in countries around the world.
About WHO
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.